Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Does he have his claws in her for good? Or is she just
yanking his tail?
Elena Demos’s life has been turned upside down. Her mother has passed away,
leaving Elena and her two half-sisters to deal with their mother’s will and the
crazy stipulations it contains. For the three sisters to inherit the
substantial amount of money left behind, they have to go to work with two aunts
they’ve never met, in the family business they’ve known nothing about, Amazons
Inc. If that isn’t bad enough, she runs into the man who once broke her heart,
and it’s only their first day on the job.

Gage Ivanov is a stupid beast. He let the woman who should be his mate go
because she couldn't be told of his Other identity. Now, Elena’s back, but she
refuses to give in to his demands for her to be his mate. The timing for all of
this couldn’t be worse, either, because Gage and his circle of friends are
trying to subdue a rogue pack of wolf shifters in Germany who threaten to out
the Others to the world of humans. Will he be able to juggle the oncoming
conflict and win back his mate?
Claws, love bites and handcuffs - OH MY!

Sexy Excerpt:

After
watching Ivanov sit there and stare at her for what felt like a century, he
finally moved. Slowly leaning in towards her, their faces were only inches
apart. So close she could feel his short, rapid breathing through his nose as
it brushed her face. For the first time since the man walked into her building,
all of the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

That
scary focus of his amazing, green-gold eyes lasered right in on her own eyes,
when his voice rumbled, “You’ve got it all wrong.”

“I
do?” Elena murmured, suddenly shaky. Her inner alarms were blaring. Danger. Danger. Danger. It took
everything she had not to slowly slide her hand back and put it on the butt of
her own weapon that was holstered on her hip.

“Yes,
you do. You see, I’d much rather be here with you.”

Did
he just purr that?

“And
why would you rather be here with me?”

A
louder rumble seemed to come from the vicinity of his chest. What the hell was
that noise?

“I’d
rather be here with you because I don’t do spoiled, whiny, superficial,
bleached-out teenagers. What I do like are mature brunettes who think they know
it all. And I like them,” he paused for a second and another loud rumble
sounded, “because after I break them in with a well-deserved spanking, make
them see that they’re not as big and bad as they think they are, they end up
knowing that they’ll never meet anyone like me ever again. Because unlike all
the men they may have had before me, I do—in fact—know what to do with a
woman’s body. And anyone they have after me will pale in comparison to what I
gave them. I like knowing that I took a woman who isn’t a naive, little virgin
to bed and debauched her to such a ridiculous degree that she’ll know she’s now
just a bit dirty, but in such a delicious way. I like to ruin grown women, you
see. They’re more of a challenge. Would you like a demonstration?”

Elena
was damn near panting after that. Man, that voice of his was practically a purr
that seemed to resonate all the way through her body until it was buzzing
through her girly parts. It was such an amazing feeling that she was
considering giving him a new nickname. The Talking Vibrator.

Her
own breath was coming in small, rapid pants, and suddenly, she realized that
she’d not been this turned on for a long, long time.

What
in the hell was it about this man that was pushing all her buttons? WAIT. It
didn’t matter what it was about him that sent her libido into a frenzy. She
couldn’t have him. He was forbidden fruit for a couple of different reasons.

First
of all, she was investigating him on behalf of the Major General. Second of
all… well, the first reason was all she needed.

Just
as Elena was about to open her mouth and tell him no, she didn’t want a demonstration,
she wanted a confession, he did something that shocked the shit out of her.

He
took in a long, exaggerated inhale, nostrils flaring much like that lion she
likened him to earlier, and then his tongue came out to lick his lips like he
was savoring something extravagantly tasty.

“Damn
you smell good all pissed off and turned on.”

About the Authors:

Crystal and Melissa often live half their lives with their heads in the clouds
dreaming of alpha military hunks, werewolves, and kick ass heroines crazy
enough to chase after creatures that they unquestionably should know better
than to chase.

Their first YA novel,
The Burning Star, was released in May 2012. BIG BAD BITE is their second novel,
but their first adult paranormal romance. They are now working on their next
two novels, Walk On The Striped Side and Secret Maneuvers. With these projects
underway, they are looking forward to showing the rest of the world their crazy
stories, heroes and heroines, that often plague their minds until written, and
hope you will join them on their journey!

Monday, February 24, 2014

Welcome to my stop on the
HARD AS YOU CAN by Laura Kaye Blog Tour celebrating the arrival of the second
book in the amazing HARD INK series from Avon Romance.

***eARC provided by
publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for HARD AS YOU CAN:

Five dishonored
soldiers.

Former Special Forces.

One last mission.

These are the men of
Hard Ink.

Ever since hard-bodied, drop-dead-charming Shane McCallan
strolled into the dance club where Crystal Dean works, he’s shown a knack for
getting beneath her defenses. For her little sister’s sake, Crystal can’t get
too close. Until her job and Shane’s mission intersect, and he reveals talents
that go deeper than she could have guessed.

Shane would never turn his back on a friend in need, especially a former
Special Forces teammate running a dangerous, off-the-books operation. Nor can
he walk away from Crystal. The gorgeous waitress is hiding secrets she doesn't
want him to uncover. Too bad. He’s exactly the man she needs to protect her
sister, her life, and her heart. All he has to do is convince her that when
something feels this good, you hold on as hard as you can—and never let go.

* * * * *

Ever since the very
pretty, petite waitress at Confessions helped Shane McCallan and his team
rescue Becca’s brother, Shane’s had his long missing little sister, Molly, on
his mind. The intriguing waitress, Crystal, has also been on his mind and when
he returns to find her sporting a bruise on her face, he can’t help but feel responsible.
Shane’s determined to discover why she remains in danger by continuing to work at
Confessions and whether or not, he can count on her for further assistance as
their mission to solve the problem of Church and his apostles continues.

Crystal Dean can’t seem
to forget the tall, incredibly gorgeous man with the steely gray eyes, and sexy
southern drawl who she inadvertently assisted in whatever endeavor he and his
friends were up to that night at Confessions. Although she suffered the wrath
of her boyfriend Bruno, somehow she
knew she’d done something right for a change. So, when the tall stranger shows
up at the club once again, Crystal discovers there’s a kindness in this man
that she cannot ignore – not to mention, the way his gaze makes her knees weak.
Can she hope that Shane will honor his promise to help her and her sister,
Jenna or is he just like every other man? And, what will he do when he learns
her darkest secret?

I thought nothing could
sweep me away into the pages of a book better than Laura’s first book in this
fabulous series, HARD AS IT GETS, but then I started reading HARD AS YOU CAN
and quickly fell head over heels in love with Shane McCallan. The man is
amazing. He battles his own demons, which have tortured him since he was thirteen, when his world came crashing down with the disappearance of his beloved little sister.
Yet, all the while he carries the torment of guilt from his youth and the added guilt of losing good men in the field, he remains the most tender, gentle,
caring, and loyal hero character I’ve ever met. Don’t get me wrong, the man is
no saint but oh my, it is easy to forgive his misgivings when you imagine him
whispering, Sweetness, in your ear.

HARD AS YOU CAN by Laura
Kaye is a wonderful addition to an already awesome series, which started with
Nick and Becca’s story in HARD AS IT GETS. If you haven’t tried this series
yet, do. It’s more than an action-paced romance contemporary, it’s about
loyalty, brotherhood, and forgiveness. HARD AS YOU CAN is an action driven,
mission-centered, team-sharing story about forgiving old friends, trusting
others when all faith has been shattered, and giving in to your heart's desires when the
thought of revealing your full self to someone else terrifies you.

Laura Kaye has created
the most amazing group of characters for this series, and with each one there’s
an unspoken promise of more waiting to be introduced to us. This group of men,
each one with their own special brand of sexiness, pulls us in and has us wishing we could
meet real men like these, or at least be able to walk in their heroines’ shoes
for a day - or a year.

I highly, highly recommend HARD AS YOU CAN, a Hard Ink novel
by Laura Kaye because it’s just too good for words and Shane McCallan is so
amazing and Southern Swoon Worthy Dreamy.

Happy Reading Everyone!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Kaye is the New
York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in
contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family
believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and
evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and
all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters,
and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

If you’d like to learn
more about Laura and her incredible books, feel free to visit her website, and
follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads and don’t forget to check out
the cutest Facebook page ever - Hard Ink Puppy.

Don’t go away though
because since this a stop on a blog tour it naturally has a GIVEAWAY!

HARD AS YOU CAN, book
two in the Hard Ink series by Laura Kaye, Avon Romance, releasing Tuesday,
February 25, 2014, available in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes &Noble, Kobobooks, and iTunes.

Friday, February 21, 2014

What chance does one
witch have against five vampires? Alone, not much. But Rayvin’s allies are
gathering…

The battle between good
and evil supernatural forces heats up in the long, cold November nights of the
former mining town. But how will Rayvin’s motley crew of spellcasters and
shapeshifters cope when they discover the threat they face is even greater than
they imagined?

* * * * *

Excerpt – rated for
18+

“What kind of maniac tortures his lover?” she
whispered. Her throat was still hoarse from screaming.

“Some people find they enjoy what you call
‘torture’,” he countered. Supporting her body with his, so her chin was secured
against his shoulder, de Sade slid his hands under her sweater to unfasten her
bra.

The confident movement of his hands against the taught,
sensitive skin of her back was making her temperature rise. He lowered her
brassiere away from her chest, gently reaching up the sleeves of her sweater to
thread the straps through so he could pull the black lace garment from under
her clothing. De Sade was moving with deliberate care, taking his time, and he
could probably tell from the rise in her pheromones that it was turning her on
in spite of herself.

How
could this be happening to me?

She couldn't stand it.

Her systems may have been weakened by electric
shock, and her magick worn down by pregnancy, but Rayvin refused to give in.

As the vampire continued lazily undressing her,
she gritted her teeth and focused on a drawer next to the stove.

The handle shook for a moment, before the drawer
slid open and released a large carving knife that hovered in the air. Rayvin
lifted her chin from de Sade’s shoulder, leaving room for the knife to ease
itself next to the vampire’s neck. The tip positioned itself under his earlobe.

De Sade paused for a moment. “You can threaten me
all you like, but the truth is that I am stronger than you. You cannot help but
be affected by me.” He ripped the front of her hoodie in one smooth gesture,
tearing the fabric away from her body.

Rayvin sat straighter in the remains of her
hoodie. The t-shirt she was wearing underneath did little to conceal the way
her breasts had swollen with her pregnancy. De Sade stepped away from the
hovering knife to remove his own shirt, and she directed her eyes at another
drawer.

The vampire smiled at the peeler she sent toward
his ribs. It pressed against his skin but did not penetrate.

“You don’t have the heart for it, love. You’re not
a killer.”

The cupboards flung themselves open, and all of
her mugs and glasses hurled themselves to the ceiling. The vampire didn't even
flinch at the noise of their shattering. Hundreds of shards and jagged
fragments aimed in his direction.

Rayvin’s voice was low, but clear.

“Leave now, before I cut you into a thousand pieces.”

De Sade unbuckled his trousers, let them fall, and
stepped out of them. He hadn’t bothered wearing any underwear. “You don’t
really mean that, now do you? I have something you want.”

His body never failed to shock her with its
magnificence. Perfectly sculpted muscles. Pale, but hairy where a man should
be. His arousal was clear. Rayvin felt herself growing wet, her whole being
fighting to draw closer to him. Her hands clenched around the edge of the table
in a last-ditch effort to hold on to herself.

“I don’t want you.”

She sent her fury toward a shard of porcelain. It
obeyed her command, darting past the vampire to slice a thin line on his cheek.
A single drop of dark blood trickled down his cheek.

He held her gaze. “Now you and I both know that
that is a lie.”

Rayvin took a deep breath and lowered her feet to
the floor. She wasn’t quite strong enough to hold herself upright, but the
table held firm against her weight. “I don't need you or want you in my life,
asshole. I’m done with you. Get the fuck out of my house.”

De Sade clucked his tongue. “Haven't we always
been honest with each other?” He kicked his pants aside, and then his shoes.
“Before me, you were boring. Unimportant. I made you special when I chose you.
I’ve given you a new purpose. And when I fuck you, I make your world explode.”

His words killed a little more of her confidence.
How did he know exactly what to say to mess with her mind?

Rayvin glowered as she stepped toward him. Her
weapons moved with her, closing in on his body so he was surrounded by a
glittering cage of blades. De Sade looked down at her as she approached, but he
didn’t move. Her throat ached and her body burned. “You’ve turned me into a
fucking addict! I don’t want to be like this anymore!” Her voice cracked. “Get
out! I’m taking back my invitation!”

De Sade laughed in her face. “It’s too late for
that. Our bond is stronger than a broken invitation, and it is stronger than
any of the magick you have attempted. You gave yourself to me of your own free
will. There is nothing to be done.”

She roared at him, battering his chest with her
fists as her tiny spears of glass and porcelain razed his skin. The vampire
continued to laugh. He grabbed her wrists and held them away from them both as
if she were a small child.

“Bastard!” Rayvin spat at him, her nails digging
into her palms. Her voice attempted to produce a scream, but instead it could
only rasp. “I hate you! I’ll kill myself if you touch me again!”

In a move so fast she couldn’t see it, de Sade had
pinned her arms to her sides, shoved the table to one side, and forced her
against the wall. His knee had spread her legs and he’d pressed the length of
his body to hers even before the table he had pushed away had a chance to hit
the floor, the elderly legs cracking and splintering on impact.

“You won’t do that, dearest Rayvin,” he whispered,
nuzzling her nose with his. She fought the melting sensation in her loins, but
her will was ebbing with every thrust of his hips against hers. “You love life
too much. You are not destined for death by suicide. And as I told you before,
you are allowed to hate me. This isn’t love. It’s fucking, and you want it with
every inch of your sweet little body.”

His lips descended on hers, and the last of
Rayvin’s self control fell away, along with the remains of her glassware. Her
will drowned in a sea of passion, overwhelmed once again by the touch of his
mouth and tongue. Somewhere in the back of her mind, reality screamed at her to
fight it, but it was as though a screen had lowered between knowledge and
sensation.

Sensation was all that mattered in the moment. ****

About the Author:

After
her first heartbreak, Tori found solace in two things: reading romance novels
and listening to an after-dark radio program called Lovers and Other Strangers.
Throughout the summer and fall of 1990, the new kid in town found reading
fiction and writing her own short stories gave her a much needed creative
outlet. Determined to become a published author, Tori amassed stacks of
notebooks and boxes of filed-away stories, most only half-finished before
another idea would overtake her and demand to be written down. Then, while on
parental leave with her second baby, one story formed and refused to be packed
away. Between teaching full-time, parenting, and life in general, it would take
almost seven years before the first novel in her first trilogy would be
completed. In the process, Tori finally found her stride as a writer.

At
present, on her off-time, Tori not only enjoys reading, but also listening to
an eclectic mix of music as she walks the family dog (Skittles), attempts to
turn her thumb green, or makes needlework gifts for her friends and family
members. She loves to travel, collect and make miniature furniture, and a good
cup of tea during a thunderstorm or a blizzard. Under it all, she is always
intrigued by history, the supernatural, vampire and shapeshifter mythology,
romance, and other dangers.

Tori
is currently working on Crystal and Wand: Book Three of The Talbot
Trilogy. She lives in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two
children. She is a full-time teacher at a local high school.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Celebrating Ten Years of
Argeneaus, and the twentieth novel, VAMPIRE MOST WANTED by Lynsay Sands is a
great one to round out the series. Already a huge fan of this series and of
Lynsay’s awesome works, including her historicals, I was so excited to read
number twenty. This series just keeps getting better.

***eARC provided by
publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for VAMPIRE MOST WANTED:

For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her
estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a
sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan,
she'll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can't outrun.

Marcus Notte isn't here to play games—especially not with someone as crazy as
the infamous blonde. Asked by Lucian Argeneau to bring her back for
questioning, Marcus is determined to carry out Lucian's request—no matter how
the seductive little mind-reading vamp feels about it.

Basha doesn't mind fighting fire with fire, especially with a hot immortal
involved. But if he wants to take her away, he'll have to catch her first…

* * * * *

Known as Divine to all
of her carnie friends, Basha Argeneau has been hiding out for so long that she
doesn’t know any other way of life. Fearing that her Uncle Lucian wants her
head for being rogue, she fears she’s been discovered when one of his spies
shows up working at the carnival. After being bashed on the head and told this
by Abaddon, the only man who’s been a constant in her life and who she’s always
believed to be committed to keeping her son safe, Divine plans to escape the
carnival and start again somewhere far away. The last thing she expects is to
discover is that the spy might be her life mate.

Marcus Notte is doing
Lucian Argeneau a favor. He's searching for a woman who might possibly be Lucian’s
niece, Basha. This mysterious Immortal went missing as a young girl and has since been reported as
rogue, and possibly the same woman who helped the villainous no-fanger, Leonius,
escape the hotel in Toronto where Rogue Hunters shot him with an arrow in the
heart. Marcus immediately realizes he can’t read Divine, the woman suspected of being Basha, and when he notices his
appetite for food and his lust for her now plague him, he fears the woman he
may have found, and could possibly sentence her to death, might just be his life mate.

I loved the Rogue Hunter
novels, the darker side of the Argeneau series, not only because I adored the
hunters themselves, but because we got to discover the evil side of the
Immortals. We met no-fangers, edentates, and learned about Leonius, his sons,
and first learned of Basha Argeneau. So when I learned that this would be Basha’s
story, I was thrilled with a return to the dangerous side of the Immortals, and
I wasn’t disappointed.

VAMPIRE MOST WANTED by
Lynsay Sands was everything I expected from an Argeneau novel with the added
bonus of it being a story featuring two Immortals discovering their life mates
without the mess of having to change a mortal, although, I loved how Lynsay
integrated the history of the Immortals into the story through Basha’s lack of
knowledge. I was a bit disappointed that Marcus and Basha didn’t share dream
sex though – it was always a fun part of the story. But the danger that follows them
as they try to learn the truth of Basha’s past and the fact that we are treated
to appearances by Vincent and Jackie (A BITE TO REMEMBER), and Tiny and
Mirabeau (VAMPIRE VALENTINE, Bitten By Cupid Anthology) as well as Lucian, of
course, was well worth the loss – in this one anyway.

VAMPIRE MOST WANTED is
fast-paced, action-packed, and as always with a Lynsay Sands novel, filled with
sexy vampires, humor, Immortal history, and as with any of the series where a
rogue is involved, danger. I do have to say that if you’re up-to-date on the
series, the characters you meet will be familiar and the story will make more
sense, whereas if you’re new to the series, you might do well to take a look at
the Family Trees that Lynsay provides her readers. If you’re interested, feel
free to check them out by clicking either of the following links for the
appropriate family – Argeneau Family & Notte Family – both of whom are
featured in this twentieth novel, and surely one of my favorites now.

I highly recommend
VAMPIRE MOST WANTED, an Argeneau novel by Lynsay Sands to anyone who is already
a fan of this amazing series. But if you haven’t tried this series, this one
might not be the one with which to start. However, if you’re willing to dare it
and would like a taste of sexy Immortal vampires, who always give you a sexy
ride through a world where nanos keep you young, virile, beautiful, and hunky
gorgeous, and where fun is always included when you meet the best characters in
paranormal romance, then yes, you’ll want to read VAMPIRE MOST WANTED.

Happy Reading Everyone!

VAMPIRE MOST WANTED, an
Argeneau novel by Lynsay Sands, Avon Romance, release date – February 18, 2014,
to be available in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and
Kobobooks.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Take a road trip with the undead in this latest Argeneau
novel by New York Timesbestselling author Lynsay Sands.

For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her
estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a
sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan,
she'll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can't outrun.

Marcus Notte isn't here to play games—especially not with
someone as crazy as the infamous blonde. Asked by Lucian Argeneau to bring her
back for questioning, Marcus is determined to carry out Lucian's request—no
matter how the seductive little mind-reading vamp feels about it. Basha doesn't
mind fighting fire with fire, especially with a hot immortal involved. But if
he wants to take her away, he'll have to catch her first.

* * * * *

I’m reading VAMPIRE MOST
WANTED by Lynsay Sands now and I can tell you this, if you’re a fan of this
series, you will not be disappointed. I’m so excited to share my thoughts with
you but that will have to wait until Monday, February 17th. In the
meantime, I’d like to share a treat with you.

To celebrate 10 years of Argeneau Vampires and the soon to be released 20th book in the series, VAMPIRE MOST WANTED, Avon Romance is providing
you with an Argeneau Vampire Primer and Reference Guide! These handy visuals
will help newcomers to the series keep up with the goings on, and will give
long time readers a fun trip down memory lane!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Undercover cop Logan "Kash" Ryan can't afford a distraction like his
new neighbor Rachel Masters, even if she's the most beautiful woman he's ever
seen. To catch a serial killer, he needs to stay focused, yet all he can think
about is the feisty, long-legged coed whose guarded nature intrigues him

A matter of lies...

Deceived and hurt before, Rachel would rather be a single, crazy cat lady than
trust another guy, especially a gorgeous, tattooed bad boy with a Harley, like
Kash. But when his liquid-steel eyes meet hers, it takes all of Rachel's
will-power to stop herself from exploring his hot body with her own.

A matter of love...

As much as they try to keep it platonic, the friction between them sparks an
irresistible heat that soon consumes them. Can Kash keep Rachel's heart and her
life safe even as he risks his own? Will she be able to forgive his lies ... or
will she run when she discovers the dangerous truth?

*SPOILER ALERT*

*Don’t read this if you
haven’t finished

FORGIVING LIES by Molly
McAdams yet*

“YOU GOOD?” I asked
Mason as we headed back toward the elevators.

He shrugged and punched
at the buttons on the wall. “There’s only so much you can do to get them to go
in a different direction. He wanted to follow his brother.”

The call from last night
ended up being a drive-by involving a newer gang that we’d come across
recently, and one of the two victims had been L’il Tay, a thirteen-year-old
Mason had been trying to get off the streets over the last few months. And
though Mason was acting like this was just another case, I knew this was harder
for him than the rest.

Knowing there was
nothing I could say, I clapped his shoulder and let him be alone with his
thoughts. Grabbing my phone, I smiled when I was finally able to open Rachel’s
text from last night.

Sour Patch: Just so you know … cleaning up from a whipped
cream war without you isn’t nearly as fun. See you when you get home. Love you.

We just finished up, be home soon babe. Love you too.

The doors to the
elevator opened and we stepped in. As they were closing, someone started yelling
my name from down the hall, and Mason caught the door just in time.

“Ryan! Gates!” Sergeant
Ramirez ran toward us, and as soon as he was in the elevator started pounding
on the CLOSE DOORS button.

I suppressed a groan.
All I wanted to do was get home to Rachel and Trip.

“We already have three
units at the scene, and I’ll be following you there.”

Ramirez was a K-9 unit,
why were they wanting his dog, Crush, there … and what scene?

“Wha—”

“I know you’re anxious
to get there, but you know we’re doing everything we can for this.” The
elevator was already moving, but Ramirez kept stabbing at the ground level
button.

“How are you holding up?
You look really calm, are you in shock? Maybe you should let Gates drive.”

That seemed to snap
Mason out of his thoughts. His hand jerked away from his mouth and his eyes
widened. “Why would I need to drive?”

“And why would I be in
shock?” My heart started racing as Ramirez started hitting the OPEN DOORS
button.

Ramirez shot us a
strained, sympathetic look before ushering us out to the underground parking
lot. “You weren’t informed?”

“Of what?” I was
supposed to be the one in shock. So it had something to do with me.

“I’m sorry, I thought
someone already told you, you were supposed to be informed already,” he mumbled
to himself as he kept walking toward the lot. “Look, I’m sorry I’m the one that
has to tell you this.” He stopped walking abruptly and turned to look at me.
His expression was one I had seen so many times, and had even had to use
myself. It felt like time slowed as I waited for him to tell me one of fifty
scenarios that were speeding through my mind. “A call came in to dispatch about
an hour ago. It was your fiancée, Ryan. The only thing that came from her end
of the call was her saying her name, someone had broken in—”

I didn’t wait to hear
the rest, I took off running for my truck and had just gotten to the driver’s
door when Mason slammed me into the side and ripped the keys from my hand.
After barking at me to get in the passenger seat, he fired up the engine and
peeled out of the lot.

“Damn it!” I roared and
punched at the dashboard. “I don’t even know if she’s okay, Mason! What was
Ramirez saying, did he say if she’s okay? Is she—oh God. Rach, baby, please be
alive,” I whispered and slumped into my seat, raking my hands over my face.

I heard Mason on the
phone calling into dispatch and asking questions about what happened, but I
couldn’t focus on his exact words or the muffled response coming from the dispatcher.
I just kept praying over and over again that she was okay. I could deal with
our place being broken into. I could replace all that. But I couldn’t replace
Rachel.

Mason nudged my arm and
I snapped my head to the left to look at him.

“Sorry, you weren’t
responding. They don’t know if she’s alive, but there’s no blood. So just focus
on that, Kash.”

“W-what? No … what do
you mean?”

He took a deep breath
and gripped the steering wheel. “From what units at the scene—uh, your
place—are saying, whoever broke in … they uh, they took Rachel.”

Mason was saying
something else, but I couldn’t hear anything past the blood rushing through my
ears. When we got to the house, the front door was hanging like it had been
kicked in, but the rest of the front looked completely normal. Save for the
dozens of officers and detectives that were walking in and out of it.
Remembering the faux-wall in the closet, I prayed

like hell that Rachel
was using it and took off for the large closet in the bathroom.

When I flipped on the
light in the closet, dread filled me when I saw the drag marks on the carpet. I
called one of the officers that had been taking pictures of the bedroom to get
a few pictures of the carpet before I walked in, and all hope left me when all
I found behind that wall was our puppy. I grabbed him and pulled him into my
chest as I fell back against the wall, and the tears that had been threatening,
started spilling over.

“Kash, you need to see
this,” Mason said softly from the doorway to the closet. I looked over at him,
rolled to my knees and stood. “Give me Trip. Go into the bedroom and look at
the wall. We’ll find her, okay? I swear to you we’ll find her.”

I handed him the golden
retriever and rushed into the bedroom that looked like a hurricane had hit it.
My eyes widened when they finally landed on the wall opposite our bed. A roar
filled the room, and before I could realize it came from me, two officers were
holding me back and trying to get me to sit down on the bed.

On the wall in red spray
paint were the words DID YOU THINK WE WOULD FORGET?

Underneath was a symbol.
One both Mason and I’d had tattooed on our left forearms during our last
undercover narcotics assignment with Juarez’s gang.

“How?” Mason was asking
a detective that was in the room with us. And that was a damn good question.
Juarez had put a hit on Mase and me before we could take down his gang, but it had
died when the guys hired were thrown in prison for another murder. And I knew
for a fact

Juarez and his boys were
all in prison. “Recruiting people from the inside who got out? Or just using
people he trusts? Set up questioning with each of them separately.”

I looked up when
Detective Byson’s cell rang. His mouth snapped shut from answering

Mason and he answered
the call. “Byson.” His eyes shot over to me and a grim look crossed his face as
he listened. “Mmhm … Yeah. Set up something with Juarez and his attorney immediately.
I’m on my way.” He turned to face me and slid his phone back in the holder on
his belt. “Rachel is alive.”

“Thank God,” I breathed
and tried to stand, but the officers were still holding me there.

“A call was placed about
fifteen minutes ago, demanding that every charge against Juarez’s gang be
dropped. Before the dispatcher could ask anything, the caller said they would
call back in two days and expected progress on the charges being dropped, and
would continue to call every two days until every member of the gang was
released. If there isn’t progress, there will be

consequences, and if
they aren’t released within the month … she dies.”

“Kash, Kash, Kash calm
down. Come on, man. Calm down. I know.”

Mason gripped my
shoulders and I tried to focus on him. The other two officers were now struggling
to keep me down as I thrashed against them. Where I was going to go when I got away
from them, I didn’t know, I just needed to go. They had my girl. I needed to
find out who they were, and I needed to get her back.

“I know this is hard.
But we’ll find her. I swear.” Mason looked just as panicked as I felt, and it
was then I noticed the wetness in his eyes he was trying to keep back.

When I finally stopped
struggling, the officers let me go at Mason’s request, but he kept me seated on
the bed. “I need to get her back, Mason. I have to.”

“We will.”

“I’ll do anything.”

A determined look
settled over his face and he whispered low enough that only I could hear him.
“Anything to bring the fuckers down, right?”

I slammed my fist
against his and swore, “Always.”

**

I WALKED INTO Mason’s
apartment that evening with a bag slung over one shoulder, and Trip in my arms.
Our bedroom was still being considered a crime scene, and I was asked to stay out
of it for the night as they processed more and continued to take fingerprints.
Not that I thought I would be able to stay there even after they were done
anyway, without Rachel … I didn’t know how I would handle being there.

After dropping the bag
in the room I’d occupied for years when Mason and I’d shared an apartment, I
fell heavily onto the bed and kept Trip secured tightly to my chest as I stared
at nothing.

A fear unlike anything
I’d ever known had coursed through my body the moment I’d realized Rachel was
at a murderer’s home last fall, and that I’d let her walk away with him.

When the call between us
had been dropped after I’d heard her scream, I hadn’t even let myself believe I
wouldn’t find her and bring her back alive.

But the fear I’d
experienced that early morning could never be compared to the fear that had
been crippling me all day. At least when she was with Blake, I’d had an
underlying knowledge of what Blake was capable of. Now, though, I didn’t know
who had her, what they were doing to her, and what they could do. I just knew
what they’d threatened to do.

For close to ten hours,
a handful of detectives had questioned every member of Juarez’s gang, the two
men hired to kill Mason and me last year, and family members as well. No one was
talking, and the only living extended family of Juarez and his boys that we
could track down had either turned their backs on the members of the gang, or
were afraid of them. I hadn’t been allowed in any of the interviews since I was
too close to the case—again—so I’d spent hours seeing if anyone on the street
had heard anything, and looking for Rachel’s cell phone which we’d later found
ten miles away from the house in a trash can at a gas station. A gas station

whose indoor and outdoor
cameras just happened to be down.

There’d been nothing to
go off from the anonymous call placed regarding their demands and threats for
Rachel’s safety, and although they said they’d call back every two days, I’d
hoped like hell they would’ve called back again. But there was nothing. We had
leads that weren’t talking, and didn’t have a reason to talk, and nothing else.

And my girl was gone.

Pain seared my chest and
I prayed to God that He would keep her safe. He could do whatever He wanted
with me … as long as she came back alive.

There was a shuffling
near the other side of the room, and I looked over to see Mason standing in the
doorway.

“How are you holding
up?”

I sucked hard on my lip
ring when my chin started shaking, and looked back to the wall.

How the hell does he
think I’m holding up? Rachel’s gone and probably being tortured, and I can’t do
anything!

“We’ll find her, Kash.”

Unable to speak yet
without breaking down, I nodded my head hard, once.

We have to find her, and
we have to do it tomorrow. I didn’t care if they’d given her a month to live or
not. They also said there would be consequences if there wasn’t progress in two
days, and I wasn’t willing to let her find out what those consequences were.
Seeing how the possibility of giving the takers what they wanted was slim,
finding her was the only other option.

“I love her too, I’ll do
anything to get her back.”

“Do you mean that?” I
choked out when he turned to leave.

He turned back and gave
me an odd look. “Of course I do.”

“They aren’t going to
release Juarez.”

“I know,” he said on a
sigh.

“Chief told me tonight
before I left that I was off this case.”

“Know that too. What are
you getting at, Kash?”

I swallowed past the
tightness in my throat and shook my head quickly.

“We had to do a lot of
things in the years that we were in undercover narcotics that I wish I could
erase from my memory. But you and I agreed before we ever started, we would do
anything to take the fuckers down.”

“Kash…”

“And I’ll do
anything—anything, Mase—to bring these fuckers down too.”

He stared at me for a
few tense moments before responding, “I know what we agreed on, and we’ll do
what we always do. But don’t do something stupid. There are a lot of people looking
for her. We’ll find her.”

Fear was quickly turning
to rage and determination. “Yeah, we will.”
***

Blurb for DECEIVING LIES by Molly McAdams:

The irresistible, blazing-hot sequel to New York Times bestselling
author Molly McAdams's Forgiving Lies.

Rachel is supposed to be planning her wedding to Kash, the love of her life.
After the crazy year they've had, she's ready to settle down and live a
completely normal life. Well, as normal as it can be. But there's something
else waiting—something threatening to tear them apart.

Kash is ready for it all with Rach. Especially if all includes having a
football team of babies with his future wife. With his line of work, he knows
how short life can be, and doesn't want to waste another minute of theirs. But
now his past as an undercover narcotics agent has come back to haunt him ...
and it's the girl he loves who's caught in the middle.

Trent Cruz's orders are clear: take the girl. But there's something about this
girl that has him changing the rules and playing a dangerous game to keep her
safe. When his time as Rachel's protector runs out, he will turn his back on
the only life he's known, and risk everything, if it means getting her out
alive.

Feel free to share what you
think is going to happen to Kash and Rachel on social media -- on Twitter use
#KashandRachel and/or #DeceivingLies and tag @MollySMcAdams

Just enter or upload
your proof of purchase HERE and your bonus scene will be emailed to you on
March 4th, 2014. DECEIVING
LIES by Molly McAdams will be available March 4th, 2014 in e-book and paperback
wherever books are sold!

About Me

I am a lover of all things literature but there is a special place in my heart for Romance Novels of all sorts. Yes, I am proud to proclaim that I read Romance Novels. Some day, I hope to proclaim, that in addition to being a reader of romance, that I am an author of romance as well.

I love Unwrapping Romance, Romance Novels and their Authors - 60 million readers can't be wrong!

Advertising Disclosure

By clicking through to Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, or Barnes & Noble by way of the links provided and making a purchase. I will earn a small percentage of the sale (very small - lol). All funds help to keep this blog running and allow me to write. For further information see my FTC Disclosure. Thank you.